Burglary ends with gun fire

Winder Police were dispatched to the residence after a caller reported that a girl was screaming and bleeding.

When police arrived, the girl was screaming and crying. She pointed at a hole in a fence between two buildings and said her boyfriend had run in that direction after being shot. The reporting officer noted a large amount of blood on the floor of the apartment.

Officers found the boyfriend nearby bleeding from the head. He was escorted to a nearby EMS unit for evaluation.

According to the girl, her boyfriend and another male were playing a video game that had guns in it. The male reportedly said he could get a “.38” at any time. The male left shortly thereafter.

A few minutes later, the boyfriend got up to lock the door to the apartment. As he was attempting to lock the door, two black males wearing hats and bandanas forced their way into the residence and began beating the boyfriend.

The girl initially thought the men were playing, but said she became frightened when she saw “blood flying everywhere.”

At that point, the girl noticed that one of the attackers had a gun. During the ensuing struggle, the boyfriend managed to pull the bandana off one of the suspects. The girl then recognized the attacker as a co-worker. The girl later told police that the male had been harassing her at work. The girl said the man began making threats towards her after she refused his advances.

The girl advised police that the gun discharged during the fight. When the gun went off, the girl felt something hit her leg. After the gun shot, both suspects fled on foot. The boyfriend also left on foot even after the girl tried to get him to stay.

According to Det. Sgt. Rachel Love, neither the girl nor her boyfriend was shot during the incident. The injuries to the male were the result of being pistol whipped. It is unclear how the female sustained the injury to her leg. Both were treated at the scene and released.

Police were unable to find any evidence that a gun had been fired inside the residence. No shell casings or bullet holes were located.

Based on witness accounts of the incident, suspects have been identified and charges are pending.

Other incidents investigated by Winder Police this past week include:

• burglary on Shenandoah Court. A Nintendo Wii, Wii Fit, two video games and a high school class ring were stolen after burglars entered through a sliding glass patio door. There were no signs of forced entry. The total value of the missing items is estimated to be $900.

• verbal dispute on Woodlawn Avenue. The complainant advised that she and her boyfriend had been arguing all day over “jealousy issues.”

• abandoned vehicle on East May Street. A 1994 Honda Accord was deemed a road hazard and towed after the driver abandoned the vehicle in the middle of the westbound lane on May Street.

• hit and run on Amherst Drive. A woman’s vehicle sustained approximately $1,000 worth of damage after being hit in the parking lot of a medical facility.

• theft on South Broad Street. A Taurus PT22 handgun was stolen from the residence. The owner suspects her son stole the gun to trade for money or drugs.

• suicide attempt on Alexander Street. A man was transported to Athens Regional Hospital after ingesting 20 ibuprofen pills. The man was reportedly despondent after learning he was being sued by a local bank.

• theft on North Broad Street. A woman reported that $71, her driver’s license, debit card and two Walmart gift cards were stolen from her car. The debit card was used to empty her bank account of $513.

• damage to property on North Broad. An unmarked police car was damaged in an apparent hit and run.

• theft by taking on Waverly Lane. A man left his black Labrador in a fenced enclosure on Dec. 23. His wife returned home on Dec. 27. She noticed the dog missing on Dec. 30. The man suspects some contractors he recently interviewed may be responsible for the theft of the $5,000 canine.

• missing person on Savannah Street. A woman called police asking for help in locating her cousin. The woman said her aunt has received a call from the missing man every day for the past 10-15 years, but had not been heard from since Dec.22. When officers checked the residence, they found no sign of the missing man. According to the report, it did not appear that the man had been home in some time.

• theft reported on North Broad Street. A woman reported that her son had stolen and cashed several checks totaling $175.

• damage to property on Missi Lane. A rental house owner discovered gang graffiti painted throughout the home.

• damage to property on Saint Anthony Drive. A mailbox and post valued at $300 were reported damaged. The suspect vehicle is a 1997 Ford truck or SUV missing a driver’s side mirror.

• deceased person on Georgia Avenue. A man believed to be intoxicated died after passing out on Jan. 1. The 61-year-old man had a history of health problems.

• theft on Sims Road. A woman reported her purse stolen from her vehicle. There was no sign of forced entry, but the woman believes the vehicle was locked at the time of the theft.

• verbal domestic on King Street. Police were called to mediate an argument between a woman and her live-in boyfriend.

• damage to property on Harrison Lane. A mailbox was dented.

• stolen vehicle on Brookview Terrace. A 1998 black BMW was reported stolen.

• shoplifting on West Athens Street. A black male was observed leaving the Dollar General with an item bulging under his shirt.

• burglary on West Midland Avenue. A homeowner was awakened when the back door to his residence was forced open. The suspect(s) then fled the scene.

• missing adult on Hamilton Avenue. A mother reported her 18-year-old son missing. While waiting for an investigator to respond, the son called from a friend’s house in Buford.

• forgery on North Broad Street. Bank employees called police after a man attempted to cash an altered check.

• verbal dispute on Lumpkin Street. Police were called after a man with a baseball bat became involved in a custody dispute. No one was injured.

• domestic dispute on Oceanliner Drive. A husband and wife engaged in a shoving match. No charges were filed.

• domestic dispute on Miles Patrick Road. A drunken man threw his dinner against a wall after becoming angry that one of the residents of the house had not paid his share of the bills.

• identity theft on Colonial Hills Street. A woman reported that her ex-sister-in-law had incurred $19,512 of debt using her identity.